Letters to the Editor
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‘A Much-Needed Touch of Class’
James Gardner, writing in the Architecture section of last Tuesday’s New York Sun, rains praise on the in-progress building at 200 West End Avenue that Costas Kondylis and Partners designed [Arts & Letters, “A Much-Needed Touch of Class,” July 24, 2007].
His reference to the apartment buildings just south of 200 West End Avenue as “bare brick, tower-in-the park ugliness” is not unfounded: the building’s design representing the architecture of the 1960s is of its time and lacks elegance and charm.
He is referring to Lincoln Towers, which he does not name. There is more to these buildings than what meets theeye.
The apartments in that “blighted” complex are well designed and spacious, something not often seen in affordable apartments in Manhattan.
The park-like setting in which the buildings are located is a special and unusual feature of Lincoln Towers. It is very pleasant to walk out the lobby door into a tranquil setting.
That moment of transition before hitting the streets gives one time to adjust to the reality of life in the city. Mr. Gardner has underestimated the value of this feature.
It is a gift to sit on a bench outside your door, greet and talk with neighbors, or read a book. These are amenities 200 West End Avenue, for all its elegant exterior design, does not have.
Maury Leon
New York, N.Y.
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